Offshore wind energy stands to add billions of dollars to Oregon’s economy in the coming decades. The development of offshore wind platforms and associated infrastructure has the potential to add thousands of jobs by 2050—in operations, maintenance, and associated economic activities.

By creating a high-road vision for offshore wind development, we can ensure these are good-paying jobs with good benefits, safe and healthy work conditions, and apprenticeship opportunities.

During the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) process, an area of the ocean is auctioned to a developer in a Federal Lease Auction. Recent leases in other states have been awarded to bidders who committed to high-road development—and we can do the same here in Oregon.

A high-road approach for Oregon will: 

• Include project labor and harmony agreements that provide good wages and benefits, prioritize worker safety, secure union neutrality, card check neutrality, and commitment to a domestic supply chain;
• Prioritize the use of local, regional, and domestic supply chains for the components and manufacturing of offshore wind facilities and associated infrastructure; 
• Ensure projects are built to the highest environmental standards, using the best available data, to avoid, minimize, and mitigate any impact on ocean ecosystems and wildlife; 
• Deliver benefits to local communities and impacted parties through legally binding agreements with accountability and oversight; 
• Be informed by robust, accessible, and inclusive stakeholder engagement including unions, local communities, underserved populations, and impacted industries; 
• Recognize the sovereignty of Tribal nations through meaningful government-to-government consultation to ensure shared economic prosperity and protection of sacred spaces; and 
• Provide for the economic revitalization of local communities on the Oregon coast and the preservation of existing industries—including fishing and tourism.

Opportunities for Good Paying Union Job Development